Generally, a power transmitting apparatus for use in a motor vehicle comprises an engine, a coupling means (such as a clutch, a fluid coupling, a torque converter or the like) connected to the output shaft of the engine, and a transmission for changing the speed of the engine output a power that is transmitted through the coupling means. The output power from the transmission is then transmitted through a differential mechanism or the like to road wheels for thereby driving the motor vehicle.
Heretofore, it has been customary that the engine, the coupling means, and the transmission are arranged in an axial row, and the power transmitting apparatus of such a construction is disposed in a front engine compartment of the motor vehicle. With this arrangement, however, the dimension from the front end of the engine to the rear end of the transmission is so large that if the engine is directed longitudinally with respect to the motor vehicle, the rear portion of the transmission will project into the passenger compartment, thus reducing the space in the passenger compartment, and if the engine is directed transversely with respect to the motor vehicle, the engine compartment will have an increased dimension in this transverse direction. Therefore, the axial dimensions of the engine and the transmission are limited in many instances, making it difficult to install a multi-cylinder engine, for example, in the motor vehicle.
There have been efforts to solve the above problems as disclosed in Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication Nos. 55(1980)-60756 and 58(1983)-42850, for example. According to the disclosed power transmitting apparatus, a transmission is disposed alongside of an engine in juxtaposed relation, and the output shaft of the engine and the input shaft of the transmission are operatively coupled to each other by a chain mechanism. The power transmission apparatus with the engine and the transmission thus united together has a reduced axial dimension.